What is Emergency Dental Care?
Emergency dental care is one of those things you do not think about until you actually need it. When you do need it, you often have no time to think about it–that’s why it’s called an emergency. You will need to take quick action in order to limit long term damage and offset immense pain for either yourself or a loved one.
Emergency Dental Care
Emergency Dental Care is the practice of repairing damage, destroyed, or severely infected teeth and gums in short periods of time. Doctors typically engage in this practice when patients are in severe pain or suffering. Decision often need to be made in rapid succession, and sometimes the patient is either anesthetized of unconscious. Some of these problems arise as an issue compounded over time, like poor dental hygiene leading to infection. Sometimes the situation is entirely out of patient’s control; as in a fall or physical trauma that injures the jaw.
What happens during Emergency Dental Care?
In the instance of an emergency, the patient will often call their regular dentist and relay the emergency situation to the doctor. In most cases the doctor will make accommodations to see them and perform emergency dental care. In some cases the dentist’s office may be closed or unavailable, in which case the patient may need to go to an ER that performs Emergency Dental Services.
Once at a care facility, medical staff will work to
* Stabilize patients- This means providing medication for pain or infection, cleaning the area, calming the patient, and checking their vital signs.
* Administer Medication or Anaesthesia- They will work with the patient to isolate the problem, deduce discomfort level, relieve pain, clean area, and prepare patient for surgery or treatment.
* Perform Emergency Procedure- This can range from
* Extraction- Removal of Tooth or Teeth from Root
* Repair- Composite Bonding, Crowns, Denture, or Bridgework
* Wound Care- In some cases an accident has cause a laceration or abrasion on gums, cheeks, or the teeth itself; leading to bleeding.
* Root Canal- Sometimes the root is so infected it leads to severe pain, bleeding, and infection actually makes the patient sick. This can be handled in an emergency root canal.
What to do in case of an Emergency
It helps to have an action plan in place. The first thing to do in an emergency for yourself or a loved one is assess the situation. Is there a possibility of imminent death or intense discomfort? Call 911 immediately. If anyone is having problems breathing, clear airways and position them so their airway is unobstructed. If patients are bleeding, use a cold compress to apply pressure while you either prepare them for transport, or call 911. Keep people as comfortable as possible, but do not immediately give them pain medication until you speak with a professional. Do not move them if they have sustained an injury to their head or neck.
How to prevent Emergency Dental Care
There are some things that are out of your control. The best things you can do are to regularly see your dentist, practice great hygiene, and attend all follow up appointments. You can try to follow your best laid plans, but when emergencies occur, sometimes you have to just follow your gut.